Border export Zach Murray will live a boyhood dream when he debuts on the European Tour on Thursday.
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And the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will be an unforgettable baptism as the 22-year-old faces a stack of major winners, including world number one Brooks Koepka.
"It's surreal to grow up watching this tournament and now to be here," he said minutes after landing on Monday.
It's surreal to grow up watching this tournament and now to be here ... I'm pumped to be starting.
- Zach Murray
Murray was scheduled to play this week's Singapore Open, but received an invite in recent days for the glamour event.
The tournament is part of the Rolex Series, which comprises eight of the most prestigious events on the European Tour with a minimum of $US7 million in prizemoney.
Murray will tackle four-time major winner Koepka, 2017 US Masters champion Sergio Garcia and last year's Open winner Shane Lowry, among a host of other major champions.
"I'm intrigued to see what they can do," Murray said.
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"Obviously I'm out there to play my best and be in contention, but it's always good learning from the best as well.
"Overall, I'm pumped to be starting my European Tour season here."
Murray only turned pro in November, 2018, so for him to be facing Koepka, the world's hottest golfer with a remarkable strike rate in majors in the past three years, is a meteoric rise.
Importantly, the tall right-hander will enter the biggest event of his life in winning form after claiming a Blitz Golf event on January 5.
